DEEP Dive

How does a person of privilege and status become the world's most wanted terrorist? In the first of a two-part special, Dr. Sajjan Gohel discusses his new book, Doctor, Teacher, Terrorist: The Life and Legacy of al-Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Often forgotten in the shadow of bin Landen, the Egyptian ideologue was his closest ally and a pivotal figure in his own right, significantly influencing transnational terrorism across five decades.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠  

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

Journalist, author, and Russian dissident, Andrei Soldatov joins Dr. Sajjan Gohel in the latest instalment of NATO DEEP Dive. In episode 50, Andrei details the brutal methods employed by Vladimir Putin, dating back to the Second Chechen War, to ensure his grasp on power remains firm.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at:⁠⁠⁠ https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

Over 2 years after the Taliban takeover, friend of the show David Loyn returns to discuss recent developments in Afghanistan. Alongside Dr. Sajjan Gohel, David discusses how the regime is more extreme now than it was during the 1990s and details its continuous engagement with al-Qaeda and its assault on the rights of women.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at:⁠⁠ https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/⁠⁠ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

As the only law enforcement agency under the U.S. legislative branch, the DC Capitol Police is responsible for protecting members of Congress both domestically and overseas. In recent years, the Capitol Police have played a crucial role in defending members of the U.S. government, from the storming of the Capitol building on January 6 2021, to protecting Congressmen and women from increasingly emboldened hostile state actors. In episode 48 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Ravi Satkalmi, the Director of Intelligence for the United States Capitol Police, to discuss the importance of the agency, the changing nature of extremist ideologies, and the importance of greater representation in all aspects of law enforcement.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at:⁠ https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/⁠ 

A new and dangerous problem is emanating from Syria. This time, it’s not in the form of civil war chaos, but a highly addictive amphetamine known as Captagon. In episode 47 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr Sajjan Gohel and Caroline Rose, the Director of the Strategic Blind Spots Portfolio at the New Lines Institute, attempt to get to the bottom of this new epidemic, tracing narcotics routes from the Balkans to the Middle East and beyond.

For many years, the internet has become a crucial theatre for terrorist activity. From live streaming attacks to disseminating propaganda, sharing memes and even running their own websites, the threat posed by these groups and individuals on the online space is diverse. This is where Tech Against Terrorism steps in, working to counter the presence of terrorists and violent extremists from the internet. In episode 46 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Anne Craanen, Research Manager at Tech Against Terrorism and host of its ⁠podcast⁠ to discuss the work she and her colleagues do to monitor the digital sphere.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

On 26 July 2023, Niger fell victim to its fifth coup since independence - plunging the country into uncertainty. To help explain why Niger and its fellow Sahel countries have experienced such political turmoil in recent years, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Guillaume Soto-Mayor, a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute, who is based in Senegal. Episode 45 of NATO DEEP Dive explores Africa's relationship with external forces, including the Wagner Group, ISIS, and al-Qaeda.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

From Russia to the Sahel and Syria to Afghanistan, Episode 44 covers everything you need to understand about the current geopolitical climate. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel and Dr. Karl Kaltenthaler as they dissect a variety of subjects, including the future of the Wagner Group, the nature of the new Iraqi government, and Pakistan's attempts to handle the extremist groups it once cultivated.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

Examining 2,000 pages of court records per day, Seamus Hughes has earned his tag as ‘The Document Digger.’ From discovering indictments of the FBI's Most Wanted characters in misfiled cases to uncovering DEA seizures of fentanyl shipped to the US from China, Hughes’ job is never short of drama. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel as he discusses these cases and more with Seamus Hughes in the latest episode of NATO DEEP Dive.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.

Since its founding 100 years ago, Interpol has stood at the forefront against transnational crime and terrorism. Interpol remains crucial to international security and capacity building, enhancing cooperation and capabilities among its 195 members. In episode 42 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Greg Hinds, the Director for Counter-Terrorism at Interpol, to discuss how the organisation works across the globe in an ever-changing and evolving threat landscape.

Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.hq.nato.int/eacademy/deep-dive-podcasts/ 

Follow DEEP Dive to stay up to date with each new upload.